Is it really that easy to grow roses?

Imagine a plant that pumps out flowers almost nonstop — a plant that practically stops foot or car traffic because it shouts “look at me.” Even better, this is a plant that doesn’t demand a lot of extraordinary care.

It may sound too good to be true, but such a plant really does exist, and it’s not hard to find or expensive to buy. It’s a rose.

Roses are tough plants that can flower repeatedly from spring through late fall. According to renowned rose breeder Tom Carruth, research director for Weeks Roses in Pomona, the secret to successful, easy-care rose growing is to pick those varieties that flower abundantly without pampering.

“There are unsung rose heroes,” he said. “Varieties like ‘Shock Wave,’ ‘Topsy Turvy’ and ‘Easy Does It’ aren’t that well known but are really wonderful roses that deserve more attention.”

Perhaps you’re hesitant to include roses in your landscape because of their reputation for taking too much work. Or you might grow a few roses now and wonder why they don’t thrive. Roses really are easy to grow. They’ve existed on this planet for millions of years. Bushes can thrive at abandoned sites. They need comparatively little care and return so much that they are well worth whatever time and effort you want to expend.

Few perennial plants or shrubs provide as much color, as many blossoms or as sweet a fragrance for so long a period of time in balmy San Diego as does the queen of flowers — the rose.

A San Diego calendar for rose care

January-February

• Prune existing rosebushes and remove old leaves.

• Plant new bare-root roses.

• Water as needed, according to rainfall and soil type.

• Clean up old leaves and debris from garden and apply new mulch.

March-April

• Plant roses from containers while rose selection is still the best for the year.

• Fertilize when new growth is 2 inches or longer. If you use a nine-month time release formula, you only fertilize at this time for the year.